Quick and easy Recipe

One of my longtime favourite Malaysian food that our family would order in a restaurant whenever we have a slight formal event, Lala. Lala generally refers to local clam.

Ingredients:

• 600 gram of clams/ pipi
• 1 lemongrass
• 3 garlic (smashed)
• 4 slices of ginger
• Half shallots (minced)
• 1 chili (sliced) – preferably birds eye chili, but any chili works
• 1 tablespoon of shaoxing wine (optional)

How to cook Lala:

Prepare your Lala:

• If you buy fresh clams, make sure to soak them with salt water for at least 2 hours so the clams would spit out any impurities (sand). Best to change the water from time to time.

Let’s start cooking!

• Heat up the wok under medium heat with vegetable cooking oil and add ginger, garlic, chili, lemongrass and shallots. Fry them until they’re slightly browned.
• Add the clam/ pipi to the wok and add the shaoxing wine.
• When the clams started to slowly open up, add in 2 cups of water and salt before covering the wok with a lid. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Once it’s done, remember to check any unopened clams. Remove any unopened clams you found.